Plants
Cyclamen
Many Cyclamen are naturalised in the garden. Those that do not thrive in open garden situations are grown in three greenhouses and a wide range of cold frames.
I note below the 24 species and sub-species of Cyclamen currently recognised by the Cyclamen Society. This reflects recent changes as a result of scientific work in DNA and cytology. I have used the very latest naming. This reflects work done by Reading University's Dr. Alastair Culham and his team, Dr.Chris Clennet of RBG Kew and Professors Max Debussche and John Thompson of Montpelier University which was published in the Cyclamen Society Journal in June 2004.
I have given habitat information where I have actually seen plants growing or when I have been given first hand accounts of habitat. This information helps growers "guess" how to grow the plants in their own gardens.
Cyclamen species
Cyclamen africanum Shady north aspect rocky scrub, September to November, North Algeria, West Tunisia, flowerspale to deep pink with auricles usually appearing before leaves, tuber corky with roots emerging all over
Cyclamen alpinum North aspect mixed woodland, rocky places, scree slopes, March/ April S W Turkey, smooth tuber rooting from centre, pink to white propeller shaped, scented flowers appearing with mature foliage. A true alpine growing in screes above the treeline on Baba Dag, the mountain above Fethiye. Has a perfume reminiscent of cheap lavatory cleaner.
Cyclamen balearicum
Mixed woodland (Pinus and Quercus), March to May, Balearic Islands and Southern France, smooth tuber rooting from central base, white translucent veined sweetly scented flowers appear with mature foliage.
Cyclamen cilicium rocky hillsides, scree and Quercus scrub, September to November, S W Turkey, smooth tuber rooting from centre, flowers white to pink, scented of honey.
Cyclamen colchicum Woodland & rocky places in dense shade. July to October Abkhazia smooth tuber- rooting from the sides very thick leaf lamina flowers deep pink to carmine wide mouth appearing with young or mature leaves
Cyclamen coum
Deciduous woodland, coppice, oak scrub etc. February to May Turkey, Israel, Syria, Lebanon flowers white through pink to red often with a dark “eye” appearing with mature orbicular leaves, tuber smooth with central roots.
Cyclamen cyprium North aspect rocky hillsides beneath Pinus and shrubs, October to January, Cyprus particularly the Troödos Mountains. Corky tuber when mature, smooth when young rooting from one side of tuber. Flowers with auricles, white with distinctive seagull shaped magenta blotch sweetly scented appearing before or with immature leaves.
Cyclamen elegans Shady rocky forest (Quercus, Parrotia, Zelkova) November to January Northern Iran smooth tuber rooting from centre of base, flowers pink with dark crimson blotch.
Cyclamen graecum Open rocky hillsides, maquis, sometimes on north aspect limestone cliffs in solution holes, September to November, southern Greece, Crete, S. Turkey, N W Cyprus, corky spherical tuber with thick roots, flowers with auricles, often before leaves, white through pink to magenta, sometimes scented. Magnificent leaf patterns on good forms.
Cyclamen hederifolium Shady north aspect rocky gullies and mixed woodland, July to December, Southern France, Italy, Switzerland, Yugoslavian States, Bulgaria, Greece, Southern Turkey, Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Crete. Flowers often scented, with auricles, white through pink to magenta, appearing before or with immature leaves, Tuber flattened rooting from sides and top, can grow very large (30cm diameter).
 Cyclamen intaminatum coppiced oak scrub, north aspect gullies, September to March, S W Turkey, flowers white or pale pink with transparent veining appearing before or with foliage, tuber small, smooth rooting from centre.
Cyclamen libanoticum In shade amongst trees and shrubs in rocky places February to April North east of Beirut, Lebanon, smooth brown tuber when young fissured and cork textured when mature, rooting from centre, leaves dull green mottling, pink flowers scented like wax jackets with distinctive magenta zig zag mark on mouth, flowers appear amongst mature foliage.
 Cyclamen mirabile (pictured is the cultivar"Tilebarn Anne") Rocky north aspect hillsides in Quercus scrub, September to December, S W Turkey, flowers white to pink, fimbriated, scented of coconut, tuber smooth, rooting from centre.
Cyclamen parviflorum subsp. parviflorum
Alpine turf at altitude (up to 2400m) and lower populations in coniferous forest (Picea orientalis) with Rhododendron ponticum. April to May and into summer at altitude. North east Turkey, smooth tuber up to 3cm. diam. rooting from centre of base, flowers pink though mauve to pale purple, violet scented. Appearing with orbicular or heart shaped plain green leaves with purple undersides. Interestingly this species was growing in mixed populations with C.coum below Merymena.
Cyclamen parviflorum subsp. subalpinum
Mixed woodland, coniferous forest (Picea orientalis) with Rhododendron ponticum grassy areas infested with bracken, along river banks and cliff ledges. March / April north east Turkey, smooth tuber up to 6cm. Diam. rooting from centre of base, flowers pink though mauve to pale purple, violet scented, has characteristic “pyjama stripes" in mouth of flower. Appearing with orbicular or heart shaped plain green leaves with purple undersides
Cyclamen creticum North aspect rocky hillsides, mixed woodland, March to May, Crete. Flowers white without auricles with mature foliage tuber smooth rooting from centre. Very widespread common plant in Crete.
Cyclamen rhodium subsp. peloponnesiacum
Cyclamen repandum subsp. repandum
Mixed woodland, olive groves and north facing gullies in rocky areas. March to May, southern France, Corsica, Sardinia, southern Switzerland, Italy. (C.repandum ssp. repandum var.baborense found in NE Algeria) Velvet textured deep brown tuber becoming corky with age rooting from centre of base. Deep pink to magenta flowers appear after leaves.
Cyclamen rhodium subsp rhodium
Mixed woodland, rocky deep shade,
Cyclamen rhodium subsp. vividum
Cyclamen persicum shady rocky places or full sun, beneath trees and shrubs, February to April (C. persicum var. autumnale flowers September/October) Southern Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Algeria, N. Tunisia. Flowers White or pink with dark pink or purple nose appear with mature heart shaped hastate patterned leaves. Tuber spherical corky rooting from base. Can be locally common- I walked through a population near Bozborun, Marmaris peninsula, southern Turkey which stretched for 7 km.
Cyclamen pseudibericum coniferous & deciduous forest, & deciduous woodland, March to May, Amanus mountains, south eastern Turkey, smooth tuber becoming corky with age, rooting from centre of base. Magenta/purple or pink flowers with a white nose and a dark heart shaped mark appear after leaves.
Cyclamen purpurascens coniferous and deciduous forest and woodland, flowering June to October, usually with the main flush of flower in July. I have observed this species around Limone, a town on the banks of Lake Garda in Northern Italy and saw the silver leaved forms in coniferous forests there to 1400m. Interestingly it rained every afternoon after 2pm for about an hour! A clue to watering plants in summer when in flower? Distribution eastern France, Switzerland southern Germany, northern Italy, Austria, Yugoslavia, Romania western Russia, Czech Republic and Slovakia, southern Poland and western Hungary.
Cyclamen rohlfsianum Derna region, Libya, growing on rocky outcrops and hillsides on limestone and terra rossa.
Cyclamen somalense Somalia not in cultivation. North exposure shady limestone rocky places beneath trees and shrubs November, flowers smaller and broader than C. persicum appear with mature foliage, leaves broad and coarsely toothed. Tuber corky, sub-globose rooting from centre.
Galanthus
We grow a good number of Galanthus in the garden- G. nivalis was naturalised here when we bought the garden.
Galanthus nivalis
Galanthus woronowii
Galanthus elwesii many of Pencarn's plants are from the Indigenous Plant Propagation Project (IPPP) in Turkey. For several years I have helped as technical officer advising the villagers in Dumlugoze on propagation and pest control for their farming of this species. I helped the Eden Project import the bulbs for sale in the shop at Eden.
Galanthus elwesii var monostictus
Galanthus plicatus ssp byzantinus
Cultivars attributable to species
Galanthus elwesii 'Comet'
Hybrid cultivars unattributable to species
Jaquenetta
A tall growing Greatorex double
Magnet
Taylor's Giant
Crocus
We have swarms of Crocus tomassinianus throughout the garden flowering from February onwards.
Crocus vernus
Autumn flowering species
Crocus nudiflorus
Crocus speciosus
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Pencarn
Gonvena, Wadebridge, Cornwall. PL27 6DL
United Kingdom
Telephone: 01208 814631
Mobile: 07796 184506
Email:
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trevor.wiltshire@pencarn.co.uk
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